Hot? Damn hot
by lauradaexplorer
Summary: A crash that injures a federal judge but leaves his daughter unscathed has some unforseen pleted, badly, my plot gecko skipped out on me.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer** Anything you recognise is not mine, anything you don't recognise belongs to the mush that is my brain.

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Colby hadn't been feeling well following his unscheduled meeting with the spill waters of the dam. He had a minor concussion but as this receded over the following days a nagging cough had taken its' place.

"Colby!"

"Yeah Don?" Colby winced as his bosses shout cut through the haze of fatigue and pain he was in. He wasn't going to let on that he had seen his doctor and been told that the persistent pain in his chest was pleurisy brought on by one of his collisions with the spill way walls and that not only did every cough make him want to curl up and die but breathing was no walk in the park either.

"Go home you look like crap and sound even worse"

"Yeah Granger, " Megan piped up, "quit barking at us and spreading your germs."

"I'm fine Don, I just need some more cough meds, David is grabbing some on his way back from CalSci".

Don gave his agent a raised eyebrow, shrugged and carried on with his report. "Your choice, don't say I don't look out for ya man."

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David returned with the cough medswhich Colby snagged gratefully and took a large swig out of the bottle, sighing carefully when he had finished looking pleased with himself when he didn't cough. Not two minutes later a call came in and the team saddled up and went out into the night, Colby tucking the bottle in his pocket.

******

"What do you need from us Officer?" Don asked speculatively.

"I didn't want to drag you guys out here for a car accident but the driver of the vehicle insisted, he was pulled from the vehicle barely conscious but passed out soon after, he has been identified as a federal judge, hence the call Agent Eppes, vics' name is Edward Manner".

"Who is in the back of your squad car Officer?" Don asked.

"The victim's daughter, in the back of the vehicle, unharmed with her nanny, a Miss.....Trent, they haven't said a word to anyone since we got here" The officer said, once again consulting his notes.

Dons gut was telling him something, the car front ended into a tree on a straight road on a clear night and the victim was a federal judge.

"I think it would be best if we could get Carrie and Miss Trent checked out at the emergency room and see if we can get them talking. We also need to see if Mr Manner is awake so we can asked him what exactly happened. COLBY, MEGAN" Don called across the road.

"Yeah Don?" Colby said, a slight cough following his answer as he trotted across the road with Megan at his heels.

"Can you take the victims daughter, Carrie and her nanny Miss Trent to the emergency room, they haven't spoken to anyone, see what you can get. Megan you go with him." Don was sure with his two best interviewers he was bound to get something.

With that Don watched his agents drive off with their charges. "David, Officer Buchanan, lets get going with the scene, it's going to get hot out here in an hour or two."

"Hot Agent Eppes? Damn hot, hotter than a snakes ass in a wagon rut." The officer quipped, non of them realising just how much of a problem that the heat would prove to be.

A/N Hope you like so far, let me know, am going to try and update daily, trying to slow myself down a bit instead of typing maniclly over a night to finish a whole story!


	2. Chapter 2

Colby and Megan had hardly said two words as they had set off, they both had without speaking agreed to just observe their charges for the time being. Colby first noticed something was not right when Megan had decided to flick the radio on, it had blared out suddenly making Megan and Colby flinch but not raising a twitch out of the occupants in the back seat. The realisation suddenly hit Colby, he had been watching them in the rear view mirror carefully as Megan was driving. To Megan's consternation he turned around and started moving his hands rapidly, and as the nanny started making similar gestures Megan realised herself, the nanny and child were deaf. _Since when does Colby sign?_ She thought.

"Colby?" Megan interrupted the flow of hands.

"Meg, just a sec, I am getting somewhere."

Megan fell silent at this and concentrated on driving; trusting Colby to tell her what was going on when he was ready. She later wished she had pressed for some basic details. _I wonder why he never mentioned that he could sign? Don must know, it's bound to be in his file._

SLAM

Megan was jolted from her short reverie by an impact from behind. "Hold on!"She shouted, as she fought for control of the sedan. The fight was useless as the FBI sedan was slammed again by a much bigger pick-up truck. The sedan span out of control and impacted into the rocky wall of the mountain road and she was consumed by darkness.

Colby slowly came to awareness as he heard voices around him. "We need a translator dumbass, where are we going to get one now, the nanny is dead, and we can't talk to the kid without her!" Colby's brain kicked in slowly, he needed to protect the girl, he slid his ID and main service weapon out of his belt and tucked them quietly into the door pocket. He then let out an involuntary cough, letting the unknown men aware of his consciousness before he had fully assessed the situation.

"We should grab her and go, this one is waking up, we can sort it out later" The bigger of the two men said, obviously in charge.

"Wait" Colby cried out weakly. "She can't be alone, she needs me to talk to you."

"We aren't taking a Fed with us, do you think we are stupid?"

"I'm not... _cough_ ...a fed, the driver is, I was with Carrie and Miss Trent getting to know them, I was to become her new nanny, Miss Trent was leaving." He wheezed.

"Check him for ID, I don't trust him." The bigger one said.

"He's clean." The second man said after giving Colby a cursory pat down.

The two men quickly decided that Colby would suit their needs and dragged him unceremoniously from the battered FBI vehicle, aggravating his injuries, Colby's last conscious sight being of Megan slumped forward, her bleeding forehead on the steering wheel. He didn't feel the cold hard floor of the back of the pick-up, the plastic zip-ties being secured around his wrists and ankles, nor did he feel the warm little arms that settled around his chest as he laid unconscious, silent tears falling onto his shirt from terrified eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N **bold** type means words are being signed.

**Disclaimer** don't own nuthin, nuthin at all (including material goods so no suing please)

"Megan, Megan, sweetheart, we got you, open your eyes."

"D..Don?" Her voice asked tentatively.

"Yeah that's it, open those lovely grey eyes, there we go." Megan opened her eyes to see Dons face peering at her through the car window. She could feel what she presumed were a pair of hands around her neck from behind her. She attempted to move.

"Megan, lie still we don't want you to injure yourself."

"Colby?" She asked. When she got nothing but a pursed lipped stare back she knew something was wrong. She sat up forcefully only for the world to take on a rather rippled appearance.

"MEGAN, lie still, paramedics are on their way." Don said urgently.

"Don, despite a rather bad headache I feel fine, how is Colby."

"Uh, ma'am, that should be a 'where' is Colby, not how. We were hoping you could tell us."

Megan remained in the car but looked around her noticing the empty passenger seat beside her.

"Megan, we found Colby's weapon and ID in the door pocket and he and Carrie are missing."

"Miss Trent?" She asked, not having strained to look behind her.

"Died on impact, massive head injury." The voice she now placed as Officer Buchannan said from behind her.

Megan just could not grasp all this and just gazed open mouthed through the windscreen. Then it hit her. "Don, the girl, she is deaf, that's why she wouldn't talk," She rushed out, "but Colby....talked... to her, well he signed, I didn't know he could sign, did you? Of course you did. But I never found out what she said, we crashed soon after."

"Megan, what do you mean he signed? As in was using sign language?"

"Yeah Don," she sighed, the adrenaline rush disappearing as fast as it had come, "like fluently Don, you didn't know?"

Don just shook his head. Megan was soon extricated from the vehicle by paramedics, firmly strapped to a backboard and was soon on her way to hospital leaving behind a very confused and increasingly pissed off Don.

"What the hell is going on here?" He asked more to himself than to Officer Buchanan who was wearing an expression of confusion tinged with worry.

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Colby slowly came to awareness as his surroundings were filled with the sounds of cursing. He slowly opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. B_ack of a pick-up, zip ties, wrist and ankle, small arm draped across his chest, Carrie!_ He shifted uncomfortably, head throbbing and each breath even more exquisite agony than it had been before he had got several suspected broken ribs. As he moved Carrie jerked awake from the light sleep she had been getting curled up against him. She stared at him desperately and started signing at high speed. Colby waited patiently for her to stop and she waited expectantly.

**I know you can sign; I am scared why aren't you moving.** She had tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

Colby rolled slightly to his side in response showing her his hands and he pursed his lips into a 'shhhh' nodding towards the back of the vehicle where their captors were still arguing. Before their tentative communication went any further the back of the truck opened and he was dragged out of the truck and dumped on the ground. The coughing storm that he was caught in didn't stop him noticing the two flat tires that the truck had got and the loneliness of their surroundings. _Aww crap,_ he thought, _this is not a good development. _His brain whirled dizzily confirming his diagnosis of a concussion and his side exploded in agony.

"Come on out." The bigger goon said gruffly to Carrie. Not getting a response he reached in and grabbed her, eliciting a small of key moan of terror.

"Leave her alone, "Colby wheezed, untie my hands so I can talk to..cough.. her and calm her down..cough..she doesn't understand what is happening." He hoped they would untie his hands soon, more for his sake, his breathing was getting more difficult with the added strain of having his chest stretched by the zip ties.

"Not going to happen," the goon said, "we aren't about to turn you loose and lose you out here in the mountains." His conviction beginning to waiver when a slow moan started coming from Carrie, slowly gaining in volume and accompanied by wracking sobs.

"Please." Colby wheezed. "She is panicking; I need to calm her down."

"OK," the goon relented, "I will release your hands, but your feet are staying tied, and should you decide to do anything heroic...." the goon merely wafted his gun in Carries direction.

Colby just nodded and coughed. Assessing the situation he determined that in his current condition, with feet tied and Carrie in imminent danger that an escape attempt was not a good idea. Hands freed he gently placed his hand palm up under Carrie's face causing her to start briefly and look up.

**It's OK, calm down, the men want us to be quiet. I will look after you. They think I am your new nanny, they don't know I am FBI. **Colby signed quickly but clearly.

**I'm scared.** She signed back.

**I know, I am here, I won't let anything happen to you. **Colby signed, hoping that he wasn't to become a liar.


	4. Chapter 4

**Da Da Da Disclaimer **to the rescue! Have no fear I own nothing here! (Except for my ideas!)

Hey that rhymed !

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Don was pacing up and down the road but it wasn't long before he was barking out orders to anyone who would listen. Setting up perimeters, looking for clues to the direction the kidnappers had gone, anything that would help them locate Colby and his small charge.

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Colby was mentally pacing up and down, assessing his situation and his basic conclusion from having eavesdropped earlier was that Carrie was a kidnap victim, the goons were incompetent kidnappers (working for a higher power) who were supposed to drug Carrie's father rendering him unconscious _before_ he had started driving, which, Colby thought with a sigh, meant that they were probably miles from where the kidnappers wanted them to be with no means of getting there.

**How are you holding up sweety?** Colby signed at Carrie

**I need the bathroom and I miss my Daddy.** Was the sad reply.

**Well I can do something about the first hopefully, but I can promise I will do my best to get you back to your Daddy soon.** "Guys, Carrie needs to use the little girl's room?"

"Well she will just have to hold it."

"She is 7 years old, how long do you think she is gonna hold it for?" Colby snarked, anger tinting his voice and face.

"We will just have to find out won't we?" And with that the goon turned back to his conspirational discussion with his moronic partner in crime.

Colby lay back against the tree he was propped against and sighed, prompting a cough that wouldn't quit until he had coughed up something green and sticky. _This is not good._ He reached into his pocket and found the plastic bottle of cough medicine and took a heavy swig.

**Mister are you OK **Carrie signed carefully.

**Just a cough, nothing to worry about. Sorry you can't go to the bathroom, those i-g-n-o-r-a-m-i, **Colby finger spelled** are being awkward.**

**i-g-n-o-r-a-m-i, is that right? **Carrie signed tentatively. **What is one of those?**

**You are looking at two of them! **Colby signed back, pointing at the men and pulling a funny face. It had the desired effect, Carrie giggled silently.

Colby laid back and listened carefully, the big goon was on his cell now and he was trying to unsuccessfully track one side of the conversation. Abruptly he cell was snapped shut and the goons stalked towards Colby and Carrie.

"Up" Was the sharp request.

"Kinda difficult with my legs all tied up and all?" Colby sighed nonchalantly.

His silent answer was the flick of a vicious looking switchblade and a tap on the forehead with a handgun. "Don't try anything funny Mary Poppins, I won't hesitate to shoot you, you are a convenience I can afford to go without. We are going to start walking and you are not going to stop unless I say so." With that Colby's bonds were cut.

Colby grimly set his jaw and prised himself of the ground using the tree as leverage, he paused as the world righted itself and the pain in his chest was back to the familiar burn of earlier that night. He wasn't at all pleased to see the sun rising, its warmth already being felt. _It's going to get hot._

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They had been walking for about an hour into the lower mountains when Colby started to struggle in earnest, the rising heat compounding his illness and injuries, now making themselves known in sickening waves now as he held Carrie's little hand tightly to reassure her. He was so relieved when they stopped for a breather that he could have cried. **How are you sweety? Do you still need the bathroom?**

**My feet hurt, and I am tired and I need the bathroom.**

"Guys, she really needs the bathroom now and she is tired, can we rest for a while?"

"We have rested enough, we have to keep moving to meet up.." SLAP, big goon slapped little goon.

"Shut up, idiot. She can go to the bathroom, behind that tree over there, you tell her that if she runs I will shoot you and then chase her and make her wish she hadn't" Jeez_ this guy is eloquent_ thought Colby, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

Colby told Carrie nothing of the sort and she went to the bathroom without incident but when they started up again Colby hoisted her onto his back giving her a piggy back, his mind whirring with plans to get them out of this, each as improbable as the next wishing Charlie would pop out from behind a rock with one of his genius suggestions, but one thing he knew for sure was that they were getting further away from help and closer to trouble and if he was going to act he needed to act soon.

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Colby wasn't to know that almost the same thought had crossed Dons mind and he was currently getting Charlie out to the scene to see what he could add to their puzzle. A kidnapped girl, an injured Federal Judge, a missing Agent and too much time passed.

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**A/N** Finger spelling is exactly what it sounds like, if there isn't a hand gesture for a word or phrase (particularly in the case of a made up word like ignorami[what a great word]) you can literally spell the word using individual letter signs.

Keep eyes peeled for next chapter, am hoping to get some info in about Colby's signing background and some action, da da da!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer - **Own nothing recognisable.

A/N - I lied, no Colby back story in this Chapter. Prob onlny 1 more chap to come so it will be in that.

Colby had stopped sweating, the ex-ranger knew this was a bad thing, particularly considering his self diagnosed fever. He had given his shirt to Carrie to stop her getting sun stroke and he could feel the heat beating off his tank covered chest. He had decided a short while back that he needed out of the hands of these two thugs sooner rather than later. His opportunity to do something about the situation soon presented itself. Their captors had paused in their seemingly endless walk and were in conversation on their cell once again and had, deciding their charges were of little threat had turned their back on them. Dropping Carrie quietly he held his fingers to his lips and laid himself down on the floor.

"Damn, it," the goon not on the phone hissed, "Mary Poppins has passed out." The other goon threw a bottle of water at him and gestured towards Colby.

As the man leaned over Colby to offer the water Colby sat up suddenly and soon had the man in a head lock and slowly choked him into unconsciousness as the other mans back was still turned Colby was swiftly on his feet and making his way towards their remaining captor. Unfortunately for Colby his luck ran out and the man turned and although momentarily shocked he soon drew his gun to bear and had fired off a round at Colby before Colby crashed into him knocking him to the ground and wrestling the gun from his hands.

Colby stood slowly and carefully aiming the gun at the man on the ground, and saw with some disappointment no obvious bullet holes.

"What the hell kind of nanny are you?" The man growled out.

"The ex-Army Ranger and FBI Agent kind" Colby replied with a subdued smirk. Coming to the slow realisation that although the goon had no bullet holes that he probably had going by the burning sensation that was present above his right hip. "Get over there by your partner", he gasped out, "and toss the cell phone to me", Colby beckoned with his free hand.

"What are you going to do? My boss is on his way to pick us up and I doubt that even a supernanny like you could stand against him and the rest of our crew."

"That may be but I am going to get hold of _my _boss and get you guys a better lift out of here." Colby was concerned that Carrie hadn't moved since he had made his attack but he could not communicate with her because his hands were otherwise occupied. Colby dialled a well known number. "Don", he wheezed, "I need help".

"No shit Colby, where the hell are you?"

"I don't know exactly, we are 3 hours hike from the car that we were taken in, we have been heading north but that's about it. Rough terrain, few trees around but we still have cell service, obviously." Colby sagged to the floor at this last statement, the blood loss from his new wound combined with his growing fever, wheezing lungs and catalogue of other injuries. "I need you here quick boss, I am flagging fast and have two bad guys at gunpoint to look after while protecting Carrie."

"Hold tight Colby, keep the line open, we'll trace the cell and be with you before you know it, just hold on man."

"Sure Don, just don't hang around man." With that Colby laid the cell on the floor carefully and slowly made his way over to Carrie. He signed with one hand. **OK?**

Carrie didn't answer she just stared into the distance, trembling visibly. Colby lowered himself carefully to the ground by her and wrapped his free arm around her. He sat with his back against a rock and looked coolly over his new charges. His vision was a little blurry around the edges and he shook his head to clear it.

"He, you don't look too hot man, maybe you should just hand that heavy gun over to me to look after?"

Colby merely raised his eyebrows in response but realised that he was fading fast. He took his hand from around Carries shoulders and shook her gently. **Carrie I need you to do something important for me? Sweety? It is really important.** It took Colby a long time to say signing one handed. It was worth it, Carrie looked up directly at him.

**What can I do?**

**I need you to keep me awake.**

**Why?**

**Those men are dangerous, I am sick and if I pass out they will take you again. My boss is on the way but I need to stay awake until he gets here. **Colby was keeping one eye on the bad guys at the time.

**I will try.**

**Do your best sweety.**

It wasn't long before Carrie had to do her best, nudging Colby as his eyelids started a slow trip downwards. Colby jerked alert to see the conscious goon starting to creep towards him only to halt as he saw Colby at full awareness. Colby was seriously worried, he couldn't see himself lasting long enough for Don to find them, he needed another plan. He didn't have his cuffs and he had nothing to tie them with. The only thing he could think of was an awful plan but it beat sitting around waiting to pass out and have Carrie taken again.

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Colby watched as Carrie's little form walked down the path they had just taken, the cell in her hand. He had decided that if she went back the way they had come that Don would come across her before he had passed out and let the goons after her. He resolved to give her as much time as possible hoping that it would be long enough.

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Don had been exasperated when Charlie could offer little help for once other than a general direction for the search but was soon snapping orders after he received the call from Colby. The call was soon traced and the slowly moving signal was soon closed in on. Don swooping in and scooping Carrie up after the helicopter had landed, making her cower against a rock in fear of the downdraft. He was unable to talk to her which filled him with frustration and dread because Colby was no-where to be seen. Don was glad that he was smart enough to bring Ian Edgerton in on the investigation at the beginning, unable to help until they had a trail Ian eagerly leapt out of the Helo with David on his six. "We'll get him Don, keep a medivac on standby, I can't imaging Colby letting her away from his side unless he was incapacitated severely and from the sounds of his phone call he wasn't doing too well."

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Megan and don soon had Carrie at the hospital awaiting a translator so that they could talk to her. Leaving her in the care of a paediatric doctor and her staff Don and Megan stepped into a side room.

"What the hell is going on Don?"

"I wish I knew, not only do we have a kidnapping with no known dirt bags, we have a missing Colby who has hidden his ability to use sign language, something you would have thought he would have on his CV?"

"I know Don, we need to find Co..." just at that moment Don's cell rang.

"Don, we got 'im, medivac is on its way, doesn't look good." With that Ian hung up, Don knowing that he was probably busy either keeping his agent alive or containing two bad guys, or both.

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Colby's last sight as the blackness slowly overtook him was of the bigger goons smirk as he crept towards the semi-conscious agent. His last thought was _Crap, I hope Carrie got away_. The last sound he heard was "FBI one more step and I will drop you where you stand!"

Ian quickly secured the kidnappers and David rushed to his partners' side. "COLBY! Colby, wake up man." David shook him gently. Getting no response he started to check his partner over.

A/N - My plot Gecko has gone on 'un petit vacance', I am struggling to write this story now but will try and finish it so it is not one of those annoying abandoned fics. Next Chap should be that last.


	6. Chapter 6

As Colby slowly became aware the first thing he noticed was the large tube stuck down his throat, he began to feebly thrash in what he now recognised as a hospital bed.

"Colby, settle down, I will get a doctor, calm down buddy." David soothed. But as soon as he had said the last words Colby was sucked back under by the swirling black that was circling his mind.

The next surfacing was to the eyes of a concerned doctor. "Mr Granger, you are in a hospital, you are on a ventilator, I know it is very uncomfortable but it needs to stay in place, you are mildly sedated so that it is not as traumatic as it would be if you were fully awake." Colby just blinked sleepily in reply. "Are you in any pain Mr Granger?" Colby closed his eyes and tried to put together a coherent thought, as he could feel little at all he concluded that he was not in any pain and shook his head not bothering to open his eyes as he drifted off again.

David's earlier talk with the doctor had revealed the full extent of Colby's condition. His cough had developed into pneumonia due to Colby keeping his productive cough contained using cough suppressants instead of letting the infection out. This piece of information left David feeling guilty for ragging on Colby for coughing too much. He had the pleurisy that Colby had kept secret, two broken ribs, a high fever, a concussion and a bullet wound in his lower right abdomen. On top of this he was dangerously dehydrated, he would need to be kept on a ventilator to help his severely weakened lungs filled while his ribs healed. The information had almost been too much for David who just listened in stunned silence before affixing himself at Colby's bedside.

The next time Colby woke up David stood over him while the doctor explained things. Colby gestured for a pad and paper: Carrie? He wrote. "She's fine Col, she's upstairs with her Dad."

Call someone for me?

"Sure bud, name number?"

Sarah, number's in my cell, girlfriend. Colby wrote before he fell asleep.

_Girlfriend?????_ Thought David.

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The next time he woke, he was no longer on the ventilator but had no voice, he asked for the pad again. Sarah?? Colby looked worriedly at his partner. He raised his eyebrows in question.

"Colby, man, have you been going out with her long?"

Colby nodded, looking worried.

"I am just going to be blunt; did you know she was married?"

Colby hesitantly shook his head.

"Married with a kid, the, uh, kid's called Carrie...." David trailed off.

Colby just stared at David dumbstruck and shook his head.

"I am so sorry man, we got hold of her here at the hospital, she was visiting Carries Dad, her husband, the vic Mr Manning." David could do nothing as a look of sheer anguish crossed Colby's face. Colby's head turned to the door where his blurred eyes found Sarah. She raised a closed fist to her chest and circled it and then put her opened hand to her lips and made what to the untrained eye was an air kiss without the lip motion. **Sorry, thank you.**

She turned and left, Colby staring after her, shoulders shaking in silent sobs as tears fell down his face. David simply held his partners hand in quiet support until Colby had cried himself to sleep.

"He must have really loved her." David started as Megan whispered across the room.

"To have kept quiet, learned sign language and cried like that? You think Megan?" David replied sarcastically.

"Carrie has been asking after him, I wonder what Sarah will tell her?"

"I hope anything but the truth."

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Colby made a full physical recovery; Dons insistence however would not force him into putting sign language on his specialist skills list, preferring to keep the information in the team and not wanting to open a still fresh wound. He never saw either Carrie or Sarah again but the following year he received a card on the anniversary of the kidnap, Thank you, love Carrie. Colby dropped it in the bin on his way out to lunch with David, he would recognise Sarah's handwriting anywhere.

A/N My apologies for the downturn in story writing, the ending sucks but my fingers write what they write. Promise to do better next time. Hope some of you enjoyed it.


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